Holidays: Spain cheers for new UK travel rules

Fully vaccinated visitors spared quarantine on return

THE Spanish tourism industry has welcomed new travel arrangements which will allow UK travellers the opportunity to visit without having to quarantine on their return.

Residents fully-vaccinated against Covid-19 through the NHS will not have to isolate for 10 days on return from an amber list country from July 19; under 18s will also be spared quarantine.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a decision welcomed across mainland Spain and the Canary Islands – the Balearic Islands were recently placed on the UK government’s green list.

He also lifted the government’s recommendation against travel to amber list countries.

The UK is a main source of tourists visiting Spain – 18 million in 2019. They represented earnings of €483 million a week in July that year and €495 million a week in August 2019 for the tourism sector.

Spain expects about 17 million international visitors this summer, just 45% of the numbers of 2019 but three times more than 2020 with strict covid restrictions in place.